ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



115 



have to take the creameries and buttermakers west of the Mississippi 

 river as a basis on which to make my observations, for none of the Illi- 

 nois creameries have ever come under my travels. 



There is a great deal cf sameness about this big world, travel where 

 you will, and there is a great deal of sameness in dairy metthods, be it in 

 the Elgin district, or on the praries of Iowa and other Western States. 

 Your buttermakers have their weak and strong points as well as those 

 of other states. It may be possible that the butter makers or Illinois 

 have more latent energy than those of other states, for every once in a 

 while they wake up and make a tub of butter that sweeps everything 

 before it. 



It has been said that the buttermakers of the Elgin district are rest- 

 ing on their laurels, or rather living on the reputation that they made 

 years ago. This, perhaps, is not true. It might have been the case a few 

 years ago, but since the dairy business has taken such vast strides in the 

 west, and Iowa and Minnesota butter has made a reputation for itself, the 

 people who own and operate the creameries of Illinois realize that the 

 itates west of them are no mean competitors. 



One large creamery operator in this district informed me that the 

 buttermakers of this district are taking a greater interest in dairy mat- 

 ters than they did a few years ago. Elgin butter has an enviable reputa- 

 tion everywhere that butter is made, and I believe that this reputation 

 has been well earned. I do not believe you have any better buttermak- 

 ers than we have, but I do think you have better patrons, or, in $tker 

 words, you have educated your patrons to produce better milk than they 

 do further west, but as the western dairymen are directing all their en- 

 ergy in the direction of getting better milk, we are in hopes that before 

 long Iowa milk will equal Elgin milk, and when that time comes, we give 

 you warning that you will have to watch that special "Elgin Brand" or 

 it will be lost in the shuffle. 



It is not my intention to criticise the Illinois buttermakers; they are 

 beyond criticism from me. The best buttermakers in Iowa originally 



